


If I smile with my teeth, would you believe me?

by maythe4thbewithyou



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: After Foyet's attack on Hotch but before Hayley, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Foyet, Friends to Lovers, Hotch just wants to be h e l d, I promise, I was all up in my feels over Hotch, Kissing, M/M, Spencer is t e n d e r, Two boys kissing and being lovey dovey idiots, Ugh, fluffy and slightly angsty, i'm on s5 and i am Not Okay, so I had to get this out, they are soft, they cute, they're in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:41:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25656070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maythe4thbewithyou/pseuds/maythe4thbewithyou
Summary: It's Aaron's first night home from work since the Foyet attack. He's scared to admit that he doesn't want to be alone, will he let Spencer in?Then Spencer offers to drive him home and..(Title from Paramore's 'Fake Happy')
Relationships: Aaron Hotchner/Spencer Reid
Comments: 26
Kudos: 168





	If I smile with my teeth, would you believe me?

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!! I go by Tim, I am 19, and this is my very first time posting on AO3 so I would be SO SO SO grateful to get any feedback from you! Even just a *thumbs up* or a taco emoji. (I know what it's like finishing a fic at 3 am and being too tired to comment). If you liked it leave a kudos! 
> 
> If you wanna find me you can @lamythologie on tumblr, I do be having anxiety tho so don't be mean pls haha.

Spencer offers to drive Hotch home. He hasn’t seen Aaron smile since Foyet’s attack. A smile so dazzling that it would always make his heart stop and his stomach flutter. He misses it so much, hates seeing Aaron in so much pain and distress. So, he offers to drive him home. Maybe he can cheer him up, maybe just for one night.

Hotch has been ruminating. And he knows Spencer can tell. He’s been spending every second of his time going over Foyet’s case in his mind. Mapping out where he could be, where he’d strike next. To put it simply, Aaron is in agony. Though he hides it well — he’s always been great and hiding his true emotions from the team— Reid knows that just because the scars on his chest have healed doesn’t mean Aaron has recovered.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Aaron interrupts Spencer’s thoughts, “You didn’t have to drive me, you know. I- I’m cleared to drive.”

“I know, Hotch. I just thought, maybe... maybe you’d want some company tonight. I don’t like knowing you’re alone in that apartment,” Spencer sounded sincere.

Aaron’s face was stoic as he looked out the window, “I set up an alarm system. It notifies the police and the Bureau as soon as it goes off. I’ll be fine.”

Spencer turns to looks at Aaron’s face then, Hotch was biting his lip like he was holding back something painful.

The younger man taps the steering wheel trying to think of the right thing to say. How can he let his supervisor know that this isn’t pity? He cares more about his boss than anyone else, other than his mother. He just wants to show Aaron he’s not alone.

Spencer glances down to Aaron’s hand resting on his knee. Slowly and hesitantly, he reaches out, his eyes focused on the road. His fingertips reach the top of Aaron’s hand and Aaron flinches back a bit, but keeps his hand on his knee. Holding his breath and moving even slower, Spencer wraps his hand around Aaron’s. He grips it fiercely but not hard, his thumb starts to stroke along Aaron’s knuckles.

Aaron stares at their hands folded together. He lets it happen, it feels nice, comforting, warm. Things he hasn’t felt since the attack. All he’s felt is numb during the day and terror at night.

“I know you’ll be fine, Aaron. But right now you’re not. How could you be? You- you need company, you need people or else you’ll just- you’ll drive yourself insane reliving the attack and going over the case. We’re- _I’m_ here for you, Aaron. That doesn’t end when we clock out. I’m here as your friend, not as your subordinate.”

Aaron doesn’t say anything, just keeps staring at their entwined hands. They look good around each other. Spencer’s fingers are long but strong, the weight of his thumb feels safe. Spencer squeezes Aaron’s hand once and breaks Aaron out of his trance. He looks up into Spencer’s eyes, and sees nothing but sincerity and... love. Aaron feels a longing he hasn’t felt in years. Looking into Reid’s endless honey brown eyes and holding his hand… A longing he’d been suppressing ever since the kid joined the BAU.

He breaks contact with Spencer’s eyes and turns his hand into the pale one gripping his, interlacing their fingers. He squeezes back once and turns to look out the window, watching the reflection of their hands in the glass. Spencer smiles and keeps driving, rubbing his thumb in soothing circles on Aaron’s hand, letting the older man fall asleep against the window.

————

Aaron flicks on the light as he lets himself and Spencer into the apartment.  
“Stay there,” Aaron says, walking towards the wall to disable the alarm.

“It gives you 10 seconds to disable it before it goes off. Stresses me out,” Aaron half-heartedly chuckles.

Spencer laughs along and says, “Hey, it’s gotta be comforting though, right?”

“Not as much as having you here.”

————

Twenty minutes later, they’re sitting on the couch, whiskey and brandy in half empty glasses on the coffee table. Annie is playing on the TV screen but neither man is paying attention. Aaron is lost in awful thought, thoughts that Spencer was meant to be distracting him from. But Spencer’s mind has also been wandering. He couldn’t take his eyes off of Hotch, who had changed into grey sweatpants and a dark green T-shirt as soon as he got home. Reid has never seen him so... comfy, _domestic_.

It was captivating. How Aaron rested his leg on his opposite knee, one hand holding the glass of whiskey between his legs and one hand supporting his head on the arm of the couch. His lips were in a perfect pensive pout, his brows completely relaxed. Hair messy, swooping softly at the forehead. A rare sight to see. The man is gorgeous and he isn’t even trying. _It isn’t fair_ , thinks Spencer, _I have to make him see, make sure he understands just how he makes me feel. But most of all, I needs to see that delightful smile again._

Spencer lowers the volume of the TV, which gets Aaron’s attention. When the older man looks up in confusion, Spencer takes a deep breath and goes for it. He leans into Aaron’s space and puts one leg over the older man’s lap, straddling him from either side.  
Aaron lets out a shocked sound and stutters out a rushed, “Oh!—uh, Spence- uh w-what are you doing?”  
His arms flail around a little, not knowing where to put them. They hover over Spencer’s hips, then his thighs.

“Keeping you company, cheering you up, remember?”

Finally, Hotch’s hands settle above Spencer’s knees. He looks up at Spencer and swallows hard. All his guards are down, he lets the emotions show on his face. Distress, fear, resignation. He hasn’t been this close to anyone in so long, the feeling of Spencer on top of him was overwhelming.

Putting his arms gently around Aaron’s neck and lightly pressing their foreheads together, Spencer looks Hotch in the eyes and whispers, “Please Aaron, please let me make you feel good. I haven’t seen your smile in so long...”

He rests one hand to Aaron’s cheek and caresses it softly.

“I miss it so much... your beautiful smile... please.”

Aaron takes a deep stuttering breath and closes his eyes against against Reid’s cheek, taking in the scent of faded cologne and morning coffee. He moves his hands up Spencer’s thighs, around his hips, to come up and rest at the small his back, pulling him in against himself. Spencer wraps his arms around Aaron’s neck and tucks his head on his shoulder.

They stay like that for a while, listening to each other’s heartbeats, the low chatter of the TV behind them.

Aaron rests his head in the crook of Spencer’s neck. Neither notice the wet patch on Spencer’s shirt collar until Spencer pulls away to place a soft kiss on Aaron’s neck.

“Shhh, it’s alright, I got you Aaron...” Spencer whispers and places another peck on Aaron’s jaw.

Aaron wraps his arms tighter around Spencer. Looping his hands around Reid’s back.

“I got you...”

Spencer takes Aaron’s face in both his hands and lands another soft kiss on his cheek, his other cheek, then on his forehead.

Aaron sniffs and lifts his head up, his eyes meeting Spencer’s once again. He could get lost in them, the thick honey gold of the younger’s irises tend to distract him. He usually stops himself before he gets caught, but this time he lets himself go. He stares into Reid’s eyes and lets all of himself show. Reid’s always been able to see through his serious facade, it was just a matter of letting himself be vulnerable. Like in this moment, Aaron is laying everything out on the table in front of Spencer, letting him in like he’s wanted to for so long.

Spencer leans closer and wipes Aaron’s wet cheeks with his thumbs. This is Aaron’s choice now. Can he let himself have this? Is it selfish to want this after everything that’s happened? But Spencer is offering it... Spencer _wants_ this too.

“Let go, Aaron...”

So he does. He pulls Reid into a soft kiss, one hand rubbing his hip, one hand on his neck. Spencer sighs into it and melts into Aaron as far as he can go. They kiss slowly and softly, discovering each other’s mouths. This is a uncharted territory, and they were going to take their time.

Reid’s lips are soft like honey and taste of coffee, Aaron is entranced in the feeling of Spencer’s body against his and the heat of their mouths together. He wants more.

Spencer moans softly when Aaron traces his tongue around his full bottom lip. He bites down gently into the softness and tugs. They pull away and Aaron watches Spencer catch his breath. Reid’s hands fall to Hotch’s chest, he can feel Aaron’s heart beating fast, matching his own chest’s erratic rise and fall. Aaron slips his fingers under Spencer’s shirt and plays with the hem of his jeans. He pecks him on the lips one more time and says,

“Thanks for driving me home, Spence.”

Spencer smiles, “Anytime, Aaron,” and Aaron can’t help but smile back.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!! I go by Tim, I am 19, and this is my very first time posting on AO3 so I would be SO SO SO grateful to get any feedback from you guys! Even just a *thumbs up* or a taco emoji. (I know what it's like finishing a fic at 3 am and being too tired to comment). If you liked it leave a kudos! 
> 
> If you wanna find me you can @lamythologie in tumblr, I do be having anxiety tho so don't be mean pls haha.


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